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Pigskin Preview Team Capsule
Sacred Heart-Griffin Cyclones
COACH: Ken Leonard (306-58, 32nd season at SHG)
2013 RECORD: 14-0 (9-0 CS8)
POSTSEASON: Won Class 5A state title 29-14 over Lombard Montini
TOP RETURNEES: WR-DE Albert Okwuegbunam (31 catches, 568 yards, 11 TDs; 50 tackles), WR-DB Sam Bonansinga (49 catches, 742 yards, 11 TDs; 34 tackles, 4 interceptions), RB Sam Sergent (1,009 rushing yards and 15 TDs, 24 catches, 337 yards, 8 TDs), RB Tremayne Lee (228 rushing yards, 3 TDs), WR-DB Avery Andrews (67 tackles, 2 interceptions), Line John Fischer, Line Doug Maroon, LB D.J. Mackey (111 tackles)
BIG LOSSES: Gabe Green, Quinn Oseland, Michael Zeigler, Sean Mason, Cody Bowman, Nick Martin, Jack Broeker, Anthony DiNello, Kyle Espejo, Brendan Stannard, Dylan Londrigan, Cole Hillestad, John Morgan, Tommy Wilson
WHAT THE CYCLONES DO WELL: Score points. The Cyclones have put 1,460 points on the scoreboard the past two seasons, a state record. SHG had running clock (40-point lead in the second half) in every game but the 29-14 state title game victory over Montini last season. The Cyclones have speed backs (Sam Sergent, Tremayne Lee, Tristan Blair) and power backs for an effective ground game. New starting quarterback Tim Brenneisen might have the most arm strength of any SHG QB in history. And Sam Bonansinga, Avery Andrews and Albert Okwuegbunam are all high-level receivers. "Defensively, we'll surprise some people," coach Ken Leonard said. There's a veteran secondary that includes Andrews, Bonansinga and Sergent. Linebacker D.J. Mackey, 6-2 and 250, finished second in tackles (111) in the CS8 last year. Okwuegbunam, 6-6, is adept at pressuring quarterbacks and knocking down passes.
SHG QUESTION MARKS: Brenneisen has seen a lot of action in a mop-up role but never has started a varsity game. He's the younger brother of Bobby Brenneisen, the
starting QB when SHG won back-to-back state titles and 28 games in a row in 2005 and 2006. Starting offensive linemen Quinn Oseland, Michael Zeigler and Nick Martin have graduated but Doug Maroon and John Fischer are back, and there's a solid crew of big, athletic juniors like Jack Clement, John Pempek, Alex Mauntel, Sharky Martin and John Burgett, all around the 300-pound mark. The Cyclones also have to find a replacement for kicker Cody Bowman.
WORTH NOTING: Since 2001, SHG is 95-1 in CS8 games. The Cyclones had a 58-game winning streak ended by Rochester in 2010, and right now they're on a 37-game CS8 winning streak. . . . Okwuegbunam is being recruited by colleges from every major conference but probably will wait until after the season to make a college decision. . . . SHG has made 15 straight playoff appearances, has a 10-game postseason winning streak and has won 13 of its last 14 playoff games. . . . SHG will compete in Class 6A this year because of the IHSA success formula. Montini, which has lost the past two Class 5A state titles games to the Cyclones, also will compete in 6A.
COACH KEN LEONARD SAYS: "I think we're very explosive. We're blessed. When you're explosive that means you score a lot of points. Over the years the only (original) thing I ever came up with myself was the man offense. We’re going to get the man the ball. If you get the ball to the Albert Os, the Bonansingas, Tristan Blair, they make you look real good. Timmy (Brenneisen) will be more like Gabe Green as a sophomore and junior rather than a senior. Like I told Gabe then, 'We don’t need you to win games, we need you to be a game manager.' He doesn’t have to be the show."
– Jim Ruppert
| Date | Time | H/A | Opponent | Opp. Record |
Opp. Enroll. |
| Aug 28 | 7:00 | H | Springfield (H.S.) | 0-0 | 1347.00 |
| Sep 4 | 7:00 | H | Decatur (Eisenhower) | 0-0 | 1041.00 |
| Sep 11 | 7:00 | A | Jacksonville (H.S.) | 0-0 | 953.00 |
| Sep 18 | 7:00 | A | Decatur (MacArthur) | 0-0 | 1073.00 |
| Sep 25 | 7:00 | H | Lincoln | 0-0 | 860.00 |
| Oct 2 | 7:00 | A | Chatham (Glenwood) | 0-0 | 1385.00 |
| Oct 9 | 7:00 | A | Springfield (Lanphier) | 0-0 | 1273.00 |
| Oct 16 | 7:00 | H | Springfield (Southeast) | 0-0 | 1333.00 |
| Oct 23 | 7:00 | A | Rochester | 0-0 | 731.00 |
